British hantavirus patient has 'no idea' how long he will be in hospital for as he is removed from cruise ship
A British man infected with hantavirus has spoken out after being medically evacuated to the Netherlands.
Retired police officer Martin Anstee has been identified as the British passenger infected with the rodent-borne virus, following a deadly outbreak on board the cruise ship MV Hondius.
Three passengers, either confirmed or suspected to have the virus, have since passed away, while a further three individuals were medically evacuated yesterday (6 May).
One of those passengers is 56-year-old Anstee, who has now spoken to Sky News about his situation.
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Anstee confirmed that he was currently isolating at a hospital in the Netherlands and had 'no idea' how long he would remain there.
"I have no idea how long I'll be in the hospital for," he said, adding: "I'm in isolation at the moment."
The British national had been working as an expedition guide when he came down with the illness, which has a mortality rate of up to 40 percent.
Anstee said that he couldn't say much about his condition other than that he was 'doing okay', adding that doctors 'should have a clearer picture' later this week.
His wife Nicola has also spoken out about his husband's condition, telling The Telegraph that Martin appeared to be recovering after 'a very traumatic few days' for the family.
"The fear with this virus is it can deteriorate very quickly so it’s been a bit up and down for him," she told the outlet.
"I don’t believe he’s in imminent danger now, but it was horrible.
"He’s relieved to be off the ship. He had it quite mild then it got a bit more serious and now he’s stable again," she added.
Two further British nationals onboard the vessel have since been able to return to the UK and are currently self-isolating; however, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said neither of the individuals are showing symptoms.
According to LBC, the pair departed the cruise at a stop in St Helena between 22 and 24 April and flew back to the UK via Johannesburg, South Africa. Contact tracing to locate and inform anyone the pair came into contact with is currently underway, per UKSHA.
A third Brit is currently hospitalised in South Africa.
What is Hantavirus – and should we be worried?
Hantavirus is a zoonotic disease, primarily spread through contact with rodent urine, droppings or saliva, often when contaminated particles become airborne and are inhaled.
In rare circumstances, a strain of virus, known as the Andes virus, can spread from human to human.
According to the World Health Organisation, the threat of the virus to the global population is currently considered to be low.
The symptoms of hantavirus
Hantavirus can cause two life-threatening syndromes, according to the WHO: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).
The early symptoms of HPS, which attacks the lungs, start one to eight weeks after infection, and include:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Muscles aches
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Chills
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhoea
Later symptoms include:
- Coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Tightness in the chest
Early symptoms of HFRS, which affects the kidneys, start one to two weeks after infection, and include:
- Intense headaches
- Back pain
- Abdominal pain
- Fever/chills
- Nausea
- Blurred vision
Later symptoms include:
- Low blood pressure
- Internal bleeding
- Acute kidney failure
Brenna Cooper